Improvement in picture-frame supporters



JEFFREY. Picture-Frame Supporters Patented Dec. 1, 1874.

.tion applied to a frame.

FFICE "ATENT JOHN E. JEFFREY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PICTURE-FRAME SUPPORTERS. I

Specification forming part of Letters Paten No. 15?,403, dated December 1, 1874; application filed August 11,1874.

proved Picture-Frame Support, 860., and I do hereby declare the following who a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective view of my inven- Fig. 2 is a vertical centra-Lsection of the same; and Fig.3, a sectional view, showing the manner of securing the bolt to the lugs to prevent the former from turning.

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote the same parts.

The object of my invention is to connect the suspending-bar of a picture or glass frame with the latter by means of a friction hinge or joint, which will retain the bar at any desired angle with the frame, so that the latter may be suspended by the bar vertically from a support in the wall, or the bar may be inclined to the frame, and support it on a table or other plane surface at any desired angle; and to these ends my invention consists in attaching a bent spring, preferably made of steel, to the lower end of the suspending-bar, the spring being bent around a piece of leather, or its equivalent, which is made to encircle a bolt, which has its bearings in two lugs projecting from the back of the frame, and prevented from turning by means of a feather and slot, the tension of the spring on the pivotal bolt being varied by a screw and thumbnut, so that friction is employed to hold the suspending-bar at any desired angle with the frame, all of which I will now proceed to describe.

In the accompanying drawing, A is the frame of a picture or glass, to the back face of which is attached, by screws or otherwise, the plate I), provided at its upper end with the lugs or projections 0 0, having eyes d cl, which serve as bearings for the pivotal bolt 6. One of the eyes cl is provided with a slot, which engages with a feather on the bolt to prevent the latter from turning. f is the bar,

- by means of which the frame A may be suspended, provided at its upper end with an eye, 9, which may be made to engage with a pm or hook inserted in the wall of a room, so

that the picture or glass may hang vertically. To the lower end of the bar f the spring h, preferably made of steel, is bolted or otherwise securely attached, the spring being bent cylindrieally, or nearly so, at its lower end, as seen at t, to encircle a packing, s, of leather, or other similar material, which leather, in turn, encircles the pivotal bolt 0, the latter having its bearings in the lugs c 0. Above the cylindrical part i of the spring the latter is flattened, as seen at j, and provided with a slot, k, through which passes a screw, 1, which also passes through an. orifice, m, in the lower end of the suspending-bar f. m is a thumbnut fitting over the smaller end of the screw l, by means of which the tension of the spring h may be varied at pleasure to increase or decrease the friction of the leather on the pivotal bolt 6.

By this construction, it is obvious that the suspending-bar may be turned so as to be vertical, and the picture or glass frame suspended, by means of the eye g, from the wall of a room; or the suspending-bar may be turned at any angle to the frame, where it will be retained by the frictionjoint, and the frame will thus be supported by the suspending-bar f on a table or plane at any desired angle.

Should there be any tendency of the suspending-bar to move from its position, it can readily be securely retained in position by the thumb-nut, by turning the latter, and thus obtaining additional compression and increased friction of the leather 011 the pivotal bolt 6.

The device can be applied to picture and glass frames of all sizes, and requires but one pin or hook in the wall, and no cords, or ribs, or shelves under it, and at the same time the glass or picture frame may be removed from the wall, and supported at any desired angle on a table or bureau, or other plane surface.

I claim as my invention- The frame A, provided with the perforated lugs c c and bolt 0, in combination with the suspending-bar fi-having an eye, 9, at its upper end, adjustable spring h, and packing s, substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN E. J EFFBEY. Witnesses:

TIMOTHY WARD, PETER BACON. 

